THE examples which we have already considered are sufficient to show us the qualifications necessary in order to carry on missionary work successfully. Earnestness, zeal, devotion to the work, a spirit of self-denial, persevering prayer, and an unwavering trust in God, are the essentials. In short, the missionary spirit is the spirit of Christ; and he who would labor for God, must be in every particular as nearly like Christ as it is possible for man to be. We shall now proceed first to consider the question, Who should act as missionaries? We are speaking, of course, of Christian missionaries. The answer will be found in the Bible: "For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Mark 13:34. Here, then, is the answer: "To every man his work." The word translated "every man," is hekastos, and means "each one," "every one," every one separately." According to our Saviour's own testimony, every individual who is enrolled as one of his servants, has a work left him to do. Every Christian, therefore, must be a missionary, for in the primary sense, as we have seen, a missionary is any one who has a special work to do, or who is intrusted with an errand or message.
This fact is brought out with additional particulars in the parable of the talents, Matt. 25:14-30. There is so much important truth contained in this parable, that we quote the greater portion of it.
"For the kingdom of Heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man [every individual] according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought unto me five talents; saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. . . . . Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed; and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth; lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed; thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
From this we learn that no servant of Christ is exempt from laboring for him. The master, in the parable, did not call only a few of his servants and give them charge of his property, with instruction to invest it to good advantage; he gave it to every one. So in the Christian life, the Lord has not intrusted his work to a few ministers, leaving others without any responsibility, but has given each his proper share.561Again, no one is at liberty to excuse himself from working, on account of unfitness, for the Master, who knows the capacity of each servant, has given to each one, "according to his several ability." If each individual sets himself earnestly to do the work which he finds at his hand, he will find that he can do it perfectly well, for it is just suited to him.
Still further, the smallness of the task, or the limited capacity of the worker, does not in any wise relieve that one from responsibility. The responsibility is proportionate to the task, and the task is apportioned according to the worker's ability; and though the task be small, yet the punishment will be sure if it is neglected. If the man who received the one talent had used it properly, he would not have been upbraided because he had not accomplished a great deal. Not very much would have been expected of him, for he was not able to do very much. But he was expected to do the little that was given him to do as promptly and thoroughly as though he had received five or even ten talents.
And there is another point that should by no means be overlooked. It is that he who had not improved on the talent given him was treated as an enemy. It was not enough that he returned the entire talent to his lord; it had been delivered to him that he might work with it, and his failure to do so implied an utter indifference to his master's interests, or else so much love of his own ease that he would not rouse himself to action. That he was guilty in both of these particulars is shown from the fact that he was called a "wicked and slothful servant." The parable teaches then, that if we do not work in the cause of Christ, we are enemies to him. This accords with Christ's statement in Matt. 12:30: "He that is not with me is against me; and that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." There is no exception here; everybody is included. No matter how great the profession, the badge of discipleship is work. An idle Christian is an impossibility.
In our Lord's sermon on the mount he taught the same thing. Said he, "Ye are the light of the world." This language is not addressed to a few, but to all. All Christians are of necessity light-bearers. It is by means of those few who have received light from Heaven, that the truth is to be conveyed to others. God could warn the world, and cause the gospel to be known in all parts of the earth without the work of man, but he has not chosen to do so. And well it is for man that he has not. It is not that God is in need of man's assistance that he calls on him to work; but it is that man may be strengthened; that by handling sacred things, he may have his affections set on them, and drawn toward Heaven; and that he may be fitted for a more exalted position. In the parable, the faithful servants had developed their business capacity, and when the lord returned he said, "Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things." But they never could have been raised to a position of honor and dignity if their faculties had not been quickened by exercise. And so with the Christian. God kindly allows him to work in his cause, inefficient and bungling as his efforts often are, in order that he may be fitted for the higher duties that await him at the return of Christ. Heaven is not a place of idleness. God works continually in upholding and governing his vast creation. Angels are his servants who hearken unto the voice of his word, and are sent forth as ministering spirits. Christ's life was one of the most intense activity, and now that he has ascended to Heaven he is engaged in the work of man's redemption. Work is not a part of the curse, for man worked in Eden. It is sin that makes us "heavy laden," and causes weariness. Heaven will be a place of rest, not because no work will be done there, but because the work will not be attended with the fatigue that accompanies work here.
It is a solemn thought that the manner in which we work here, and the way we improve or waste our time, will determine our standing in the eternal world. It will not do to say that we will be content if we can but gain a place in Heaven, no matter how small it is. God requires our best efforts. Our undivided attention must be given to his service. "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Besides, we are not to work with the mere desire to get to Heaven. The trouble with the man who had the one talent was that he was selfish. He would not exert himself to benefit another. Like all selfish people he was short-sighted, and over-reached himself. He did not understand that by laboring for another he would be benefiting himself. He could not look to the end of his labor, when his lord would return.
We should learn a lesson from his selfishness as well as from the faithfulness of his companions. We must labor unselfishly with love to God and to our fellow-men. If we have the love of Christ in our hearts, we shall have a longing desire to see the salvation of others, and will work unremittingly to this end. Our only duty here is to labor. At the end of our labor the prize is given, not as payment for our services, but as a gift which we have been fitting ourselves to enjoy.
E. J. W.